Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya has ordered administrative actions against 12 regular city employees, including two female doctors from the City Health Office who were issued separate show cause orders for conduct unbecoming of public servants.
Three other employees from the General Services Office were also dismissed from the service after being declared absent without official leave (AWOL), a press statement from the Bacolod City Communications Office said.
City Legal Officer Karol Joseph Chiu said one of the doctors allegedly uttered abusive language during a meeting, demeaning and disrespecting her colleagues.
The other medical officer reportedly made humiliating, sarcastic, and insensitive remarks during a consultation with a rape victim, allegedly disregarding the patient’s privacy, he added.
Three utility workers from the General Services Office were dropped from the rolls for failing to report for duty since February 2023, January 2024, and October 2025, respectively.
Chiu added that the mayor is also considering issuing a dismissal order against another nursing assistant from the City Health Office for habitual tardiness and being AWOL for about 75 days.
“This will serve as a warning to other erring employees to treat our patients and clientele with utmost respect, dignity, and value, considering we are in public service,” Chiu said.
Among the 12 employees involved, four personnel from the City Engineer’s Office were also slapped with formal charges for neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service after more than 4,600 unutilized hardened cement bags were discovered at the department’s warehouse in the Bacolod City College compound in September 2025.
Similar charges were filed against a tourism operations officer over an unliquidated cash advance amounting to P2.5 million.
Meanwhile, a male employee from the Bacolod Environment and Natural Resources Office was meted a six-month suspension for allegedly facilitating or “fixing” clientele transactions within city departments.
“We should have that dedication to serve, as emulated by the mayor himself in his governance,” Chiu stressed, emphasizing the administration’s push for improved governance and public service.*
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